Body Positivity Needs a Middle Ground
The body positivity conversation has slowly drifted into two extremes and many women are quietly stuck in the middle.
On one end, we see bodies and habits being glorified under the banner of self-acceptance, even when those habits are not supportive of long-term health. On the other, thinness is still subtly idolized — often achieved through under-fueling, restriction, or neglecting strength, nourishment, and longevity.
Neither extreme tells the full story.
There is a large group of women who eat real meals, fuel themselves consistently, move their bodies, lift weights, walk, train, and live active lives — and as a result, often live in bodies that are not the smallest version they could be.
They carry muscle.
They carry a healthy amount of body fat.
They take up space.
And yet, they’re often left feeling uncomfortable in their bodies — not because they’re unhealthy, but because the messaging around body image has become so polarized.
Wanting change doesn’t mean you hate yourself
Here’s a truth that often gets lost in the noise:
It’s okay to want change.
It’s also okay to accept your body.
Body positivity doesn’t mean ignoring your health, dismissing how you feel in your body, or forcing yourself to love a body that was built from habits that don’t align with your values.
A helpful way to think about this is food guilt.
A bag of chips isn’t inherently shameful.
But it feels shameful when it’s stacked on top of a day filled with skipped meals, no protein, little nourishment, no movement, and chronic stress.
That guilt isn’t about the food — it’s about misalignment.
Read that again.
Alignment changes everything
When you fuel yourself properly, eat real meals, move your body in ways you’re capable of, and care for your health consistently, that shame starts to fade.
Food becomes neutral.
Flexibility becomes neutral.
Your body feels safer to live in.
And the body that results from those habits — whatever size, shape, or weight that may be — becomes a body you can genuinely respect.
Not because it fits a trend.
Not because it meets someone else’s standard.
But because you know you’re taking care of yourself.
That body might be a size 29 waist.
It might be a size 34.
Genetics matter. Life stages matter. Hormones matter.
Real body positivity isn’t a mindset shortcut
No amount of affirmations, reframing, or mindset work can override daily habits that don’t align with who you want to be or how you want to feel long-term.
True confidence comes from alignment between:
Your actions
Your values
Your health
Your future self
When those are aligned, body positivity stops feeling forced.
It becomes honest.
It becomes sustainable.
And it finally feels like peace — not pressure.
